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Despite being benched for the second half of Sunday blowout loss to the Ravens, Donovan McNabb will be back in the huddle Thursday against the Cardinals, coach Andy Reid announced today. (Michael Perez / Staff Photographer)

Jeff McLane and Zach Berman

Donovan McNabb will be back at quarterback Thursday night when the Eagles play the Arizona Cardinals at Lincoln Financial Field.

Coach Andy Reid made that announcement at his weekly news conference following the Eagles' ugly 36-7 loss to the Baltimore Ravens Sunday during which he pulled McNabb in favor of Kevin Kolb after halftime.

"As I said (Sunday), sometimes you have to take a step back to take a step forward in a positve way and Donovan will do that," Reid said. "This has nothing to do with Kolb's performance or Donovan's performance."

Reid added that he would not have changed his decision to relieve McNabb with Kolb in the second half against the Ravens.

"Donovan is going out to play," Reid said. "Sometimes it's good to step back and look at things at a little different angle. I expect him to go out and play his heart out. I think I know Donovan McNabb better than anybody in this room. Six turnovers, that's not him. That's not his game. That's not any part of his game."

McNabb had six turnovers in the Eagles' last two games and has thrown interceptions in each of his last four games.

Asked if McNabb would start the final five games, Reid said, "As I sit here right now, he's my starting quarterback."

Reid said his decision Sunday was based upon what he thought was best for his team first and for McNabb second.

"I will make every decision on what I think is best for this football team," he said. "That's the seat I sit in and the way I'll always approach it."

Reid also defended his decision to have quarterbacks coach Pat Shurmur inform McNabb of the quarterback change during halftime.

"That's how things are," Reid said. "I really don't care what anybody else thinks about that. That's how we do it. The coach approaches that player and then I talk to them afterward. It's not a matter of disrespecting Donovan or any other player."

Asked if he was concerned about the reception McNabb will receive before the Eagles' Thanksgiving night game against Arizona, Reid said, "You can't worry about all that. You take care of what you can control. You get rid of the ifs and play."